Pacific
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New Zealand cuts Pacific visitor visa fee for 12 months to boost regional ties
New Zealand is cutting visitor visa fees for Pacific travelers for 12 months, part of broader moves to ease travel and deepen regional ties. Details on eligibility are still to come, with a year-long review planned to see how the plan unfolds.
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Vanuatu leads UNGA push to implement ICJ climate ruling as 1.5°C risk looms and loss‑and‑damage fund remains underfunded
UN human rights and legal experts warn that delaying action could push climate safeguards beyond reach. A forthcoming General Assembly resolution aims to translate a unanimous ICJ climate ruling into real-world steps, with Vanuatu leading the talks as urgency mounts. The move touches fossil fuel policy, funding for loss and damage, and the right to…
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Pacific Corruption Described as a Tapeworm Draining Peace and Prosperity, Warns Academic
Corruption is described as a “tapeworm” gnawing at the Pacific’s progress, a regional scholar warns. With pledges for information access and whistleblower protection stalled, the true cost is felt by the most vulnerable. The warning comes as calls for real anti-corruption action grow louder, challenging leaders to turn rhetoric into concrete change.
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Carney warns postwar rules-based order eroding as middle powers forge coalitions, risking Pacific island security
The post‑war rules-based order is fraying, pushing middle powers to form new coalitions that trade protection for access to resources and influence. For Pacific Island nations, that shift could redefine energy security and diplomatic voice—where protection depends less on global norms and more on who controls essentials like fuel and minerals.
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Neptune Pacific Direct Line halts new Gulf bookings amid Middle East security concerns
Pacific freight lines pause new Gulf and Middle East bookings amid escalating regional security concerns — a temporary move that could reshape near-term trade routes and schedules.